1. Do cities have enough environmental information to become more sustainable and circular?
Anna Petit-Boix and Sina Leipold
Chair of Societal Transition & Circular Economy, University of Freiburg

2. The promise of the circular economy
Relieve pressures on municipal services and budgets
Increase disposable income
Encourage an innovation-rich urban economy
Increase livability
Reduce carbon emissions
Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2017) Cities in the circular economy: an initial exploration

3. The promise of the circular economy
Relieve pressures on municipal services and budgets
Increase disposable income
Encourage an innovation-rich urban economy
Increase livability
Reduce carbon emissions
What kind of strategies are being promoted?
Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2017) Cities in the circular economy: an initial exploration

4. The promise of the circular economy
How are they prioritized?
Relieve pressures on municipal services and budgets
Increase disposable income
Encourage an innovation-rich urban economy
Increase livability
Reduce carbon emissions
What kind of strategies are being promoted?
Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2017) Cities in the circular economy: an initial exploration

5. The promise of the circular economy
How are they prioritized?
Relieve pressures on municipal services and budgets
Increase disposable income
Encourage an innovation-rich urban economy
Increase livability
Reduce carbon emissions
What kind of strategies are being promoted?
Are they environmentally sustainable?
Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2017) Cities in the circular economy: an initial exploration

6. Monitoring the circular economy
Underlying approach to the circular economy
Systems perspective:
Life cycle assessment
Material flow analysis
Input-output analysis …
Industrial ecology

7. Monitoring the circular economy
Underlying approach to the circular economy
Systems perspective:
Life cycle assessment
Material flow analysis
Input-output analysis …
Industrial ecology
How does it address the circular economy in cities?

8. Our question:
Do the environmental assessments conducted so far in the framework of the circular economy align with the initiatives promoted in cities?

9. Methods http://www.govsgocircular.com/

10. Methods

11. Methods

12. Results
What are cities promoting?

13. Results
What are cities promoting?

14. Results
Are these strategies quantified?

15. Results Are these strategies quantified?
Waste/product reuse and cascading
Efficient waste management infrastructure

16. Results BUT! Are these strategies quantified? URBAN PLANNING
SOCIAL CONSUMPTION
BUT!

17. Discussion
Need to define the environmental consequences of urban initiatives based on local interests
Consider local context: culture, geography, economy, tradition, politics
Assessment can help prioritize some initiatives over others

18. Industries and businesses are barely promoted
Discussion
Need to define the environmental consequences of urban initiatives based on local interests
Consider local context: culture, geography, economy, tradition, politics
Assessment can help prioritize some initiatives over others
Smallest cities
<250,000 people
Largest cities
>500,000 people
Industries and businesses are barely promoted
Diversification

19. Take-home message
Increase the attention on social consumption and urban planning when addressing CE issues that directly affect urban areas
Collaborative work might help to further delve into the needs of cities based on their sustainability goals and prioritization criteria

20. Thank you. I look forward to your questions.
Find out more about
our research at On
Thank you. I look forward to your questions.
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